National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony to Be Broadcast Nationally For the First Time on Public Television Beginning December 4th

National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony to Be Broadcast Nationally For the First Time on Public Television Beginning December 4th

Lighting Ceremony Will Also Be Streamed Live at www.thenationaltree.org December 3rd At 5:00 p.m. EST/2:00 p.m. PST

WASHINGTON, Nov. 11 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Park Service and the National Park Foundation announced today public television stations nationwide will broadcast the 2009 National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony across the country for the first time. In partnership with WETA, Washington, D.C.'s flagship public broadcasting station, public television stations will begin airing the 60-minute lighting ceremony on Friday, December 4th and continue throughout the holiday season. Viewers are invited to check their local public station schedules for exact broadcast dates and times.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090630/DC40408LOGO)

In addition, the public will be able to view the lighting ceremony live, as it happens, on Thursday, December 3rd at 5:00 p.m. EST/2:00 p.m. PST at www.thenationaltree.org. The public is also invited to visit the interactive site now and throughout the holiday season to experience all the behind-the-scenes festivities of the event from the story of the first National Christmas Tree to the one-of-a-kind ornaments made each year by ordinary Americans to hang on 56 trees -- one for every U.S. state, territory and the District of Columbia. Visitors to the site may also create their own customized, interactive e-card for the holidays.

A first-time lottery for free tickets to the ceremony saw approximately 37,000 people submit their names for a chance to attend the tree lighting. Celebrity performers who will help celebrate at the ceremony will be announced next week.

The National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony is presented by the National Park Foundation and National Park Service. Alex Coletti Productions will produce the 2009 ceremony. Other supporters include General Electric, Guest Services Inc., Hilton Garden Inn Downtown Washington, D.C., Hudler Carolina Tree Farms, the W Hotel Washington, and the Willard InterContinental Washington, D.C. For more information visit www.thenationaltree.org.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

The National Park Service preserves unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the National Park System and its 392 National Park sites for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. The National Park Service cooperates with partners to extend the benefits of natural and cultural resource conservation and outdoor recreation throughout this country and the world. For more information, visit: www.nps.gov

ABOUT THE NATIONAL PARK FOUNDATION

The National Park Foundation is an independent charitable organization chartered by Congress in 1967 to strengthen the connection between the American people and their 392 national park sites. As the official national non-profit partner of America's National Parks, the Foundation raises private funds, makes strategic grants, creates innovative partnerships and increases public awareness about the need and opportunity for park philanthropy. In its 2008 fiscal year, the National Park Foundation distributed grants and program support of $27.3M. For more information, visit www.nationalparks.org

ABOUT WETA

WETA Washington, D.C., is the third-largest producing station for public television. WETA's other productions and co-productions include "The News Hour with Jim Lehrer," "The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize," "In Performance at the White House" and documentaries by filmmaker Ken Burns, including the upcoming "Baseball: The Tenth Inning." Sharon Percy Rockefeller is the president and CEO of WETA.

More information on WETA and its programs and services is available at www.weta.org.

   Contact:   National Park Service   Bill Line, Toni Braxton   (202) 619-7400   William_Line@nps.gov    Contact:   National Park Foundation   Mark Shields   (202) 354-6480   Mshields@nationalparks.org    For Broadcast Inquiries:   WETA   Suzanne Masri   (703) 998-2686   smasri@weta.org  

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090630/DC40408LOGO
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com

Source: National Park Foundation

CONTACT: Bill Line, William_Line@nps.gov, or Toni Braxton, both of
National Park Service, +1-202-619-7400; or Mark Shields, National Park
Foundation, +1-202-354-6480, Mshields@nationalparks.org; or For Broadcast
Inquiries, Suzanne Masri, WETA, +1-703-998-2686, smasri@weta.org

Web Site: http://www.nationalparks.org/

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Profile: International Entertainment